Information for Parents & Families

Sending your student to college is a transition for you, too. When your student is struggling, it's natural to want to understand what's happening and how you can help. The Vassar College Counseling Service (VCCS) is here to support your student, and to help you understand how we work, what we can and can't share, and how you can be part of their support.

We are located in Metcalf House, open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. during the academic year. All services are free and confidential, and counseling records are kept entirely separate from your student's academic record.

Quick reference

Make an appointment / talk to a counselor: (845) 437-5700
Evening/Weekend mental health support (Counselor-on-Call): (845) 437-7333
Campus emergency (24/7): (845) 437-7333 or 911
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988
Worried about your student? Submit a concern to the Student Support Network

Why confidentiality matters

Confidentiality is the foundation of effective counseling. Students seek help, speak honestly, and stay engaged in treatment when they trust that what they share will be protected. That trust is what makes counseling work, and protecting it is one of the most important things we do.

For families, this sometimes means we are unable to share information that you may very much want. We understand how difficult that can be. Please know that the same protections that limit what we can tell you are the protections that allow your student to willingly walk through our door.

Your student is the holder of their own privacy

The vast majority of Vassar students are 18 or older and are legal adults. Under federal and New York State law, that means your student, not their parent or guardian, controls their own health and counseling information. This is true even when a family is paying tuition or carries the student on their insurance. We cannot share information with a parent, or even confirm whether your student has been seen at VCCS, without your student's written permission. (Information about students under 18 is addressed below.)

How the law applies to counseling records

College counseling records are governed by a specific legal framework that is worth understanding:

FERPA (the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) protects student records. Importantly, records created and maintained by counselors for the purpose of treatment are classified as treatment records and are specifically excluded from a student's "education records." They are kept separate from anything academic and are not shared with faculty, deans, or the registrar.
Because these treatment records fall under FERPA, college counseling centers like VCCS generally operate outside of HIPAA for these records. In practice, our confidentiality is governed by FERPA, New York State law, and the ethical codes of our professions (psychology, social work, mental health counseling, and psychiatry).
The practical result: counseling records are not part of your student's academic record, are not visible to professors or administrators, and are not released without your student's authorization, except in the limited circumstances described below.

Limits to confidentiality

Confidentiality is broad but not absolute. There are a small number of circumstances in which a counselor may share information without a student's consent, consistent with law and professional ethics:

When a student is at imminent risk of serious harm to themselves, a counselor has a duty to act to keep them safe.
When a student poses an imminent risk of serious harm to an identifiable other person, a counselor has a duty to take protective steps, which may include warning the person at risk.
When there is a reasonable suspicion of current abuse or neglect of a child or a vulnerable adult, counselors are mandated reporters under state law.
When a counselor receives a valid court order or subpoena for records or testimony.
To coordinate care within VCCS and, when appropriate, with Vassar Health Services or a treating provider.

Releasing information: how you can be involved

Even in these situations, counselors disclose only the minimum information necessary and continue to protect everything else. In a true emergency, our first priority is always your student's safety.

If your student wants you involved in their care, that is absolutely possible, and we welcome it. The mechanism for this is a Release of Information (ROI).

Release of Information (ROI)

A Release of Information is a voluntary, written authorization your student signs that gives VCCS permission to exchange specified information with a named person or organization, such as a parent, a primary care physician, or an outside therapist. Your student decides:

what information may be shared,
with whom,
for what purpose, and
for how long.

A student may revoke a ROI at any time, in writing. If it would help to have you in the loop, the simplest step is for your student to complete an ROI naming you. We encourage families to have an open conversation about expectations before a need arises.

Download the Release of Information Form (PDF)

Release of Information for students under 18

A small number of entering students are under the age of 18. For a minor, the legal picture is different:

A parent or guardian has legal access to their student’s mental health records until they turn 18. However, it is not always most effective for the treatment for the records to be shared, due to the possibility that students will refrain from being fully honest with their therapist.
A parent or guardian's written consent is generally required for VCCS to release a minor's information to any party outside of the Counseling Service, and the parent/guardian typically signs the Release of Information form on the student's behalf.
At the same time, New York State law allows minors to consent to their own outpatient mental health treatment in certain circumstances. This means some confidentiality protections may still apply to a minor student's care. If your student is under 18, we encourage you to contact us so we can explain how this works in your specific situation.
Once your student turns 18, they assume full control of their own records and care, and any prior parental access ends.

Download Legal Guardian VCCS Treatment Consent for Students under the age of 18

How students schedule an appointment

Appointments are available to currently enrolled Vassar students. Because the research is clear that counseling is most effective when the client chooses to attend treatment, counseling is the student's own decision and their own care, and we encourage students to schedule their appointments themselves. A parent cannot book on a student's behalf. You can, however, encourage your student to reach out, and offer to sit with them while they make the call.

To get started, your student can:

Call (845) 437-5700, email counseling@vassar.edu or stop by Metcalf House during business hours.
The first time they schedule in a given academic year, they'll complete a brief, confidential intake questionnaire (about 20 minutes).
At the initial consultation, a counselor will talk through their concerns and recommend next steps, which may include individual or group counseling, further evaluation, or a referral to an on or off campus resource.

VCCS uses a short-term, solution-focused counseling model, and offers sessions in person or via a secure telehealth platform. For students who need longer-term or specialized care, we provide referrals to vetted community providers (including through our Thriving Campus directory).

Need to be seen quickly? Same-day walk-in appointments (30 minutes, first come, first served) are available by contacting VCCS that day. For urgent concerns, your student should call (845) 437-5700 and ask to speak with the Crisis Counselor.

Questions about medication management

Families often ask whether a student can access psychiatric medication on campus. Here's how it works at VCCS:

VCCS has a part-time consulting psychiatrist who provides medication evaluations and follow-up care during the academic year (September to May).
To be seen by our psychiatrist, a student must be referred by, and in ongoing counseling with, a VCCS counselor. Medication tends to work best alongside therapy, and our psychiatrist works closely with our counseling staff.
On-campus psychiatric capacity is limited, so not every student can be treated on campus. Students who are primarily seeking medication management, such as continuing an existing prescription, are usually encouraged to stay with their prescriber at home or are connected with community providers.

If your student is already taking psychiatric medication, a little planning before they arrive on campus goes a long way:

Arrive with an adequate supply and a current prescription.
Identify whether they'll continue with their home prescriber (often the smoothest option) or establish care with a local provider.
VCCS and the CARE Office can help connect students to community prescribers and, for eligible students, to financial resources that help cover off-campus mental health costs.

For full details on working with our psychiatrist, see the VCCS Psychiatry Services Informed Consent form.

If you're worried about your student

Trust your instincts. If something feels off, there are several ways to get help, and you don't have to know exactly what's wrong to reach out.

Consult with us

You are welcome to call VCCS at (845) 437-5700 during business hours and ask to speak with a counselor or you can email us at counseling@vassar.edu. A counselor can help you think through what you're seeing and how best to support your student. Please understand that, because of confidentiality, the counselor cannot confirm or deny whether your student is a client. They can still talk through the situation with you and suggest next steps.

Encourage your student to reach out

Sometimes the most powerful thing a family member can do is gently encourage a student to connect with us, and remove the friction, for example by offering to sit with them while they call to make an appointment.

Submit a concern to the Student Support Network (SSN)

The Student Support Network is a group of campus offices, convened weekly by the Dean of Student Living and Wellness, that coordinates support for students who may be struggling academically, personally, or emotionally. SSN members share information confidentially and on a need-to-know basis and connect students with the right resources on and off campus.

If you're concerned, you can submit a report through the SSN Reporting Form, and the team will coordinate outreach and support. Please note that SSN is not an emergency response service. If your student is in immediate danger, use the emergency contacts below.

Submit a concern to the Student Support Network

Care coordination

The CARE Office (Care Coordination, Advocacy, Resources, and Education) offers individualized, confidential support and helps students navigate difficult times and access resources. Students may self-refer or be referred by others.

Mindful Eating Support Team (MEST)

If you're concerned about your student's relationship with food, weight, or body image, the Mindful Eating Support Team (MEST) offers a confidential, wellness-focused assessment and referral program. MEST is a multidisciplinary team drawing on medicine, mental health, nutrition, and exercise, and it coordinates care across campus offices and, when helpful, with off-campus specialists.

You don't have to wait for your student to ask. Parents and family members can refer their Vassar student through the MEST referral form, just as students can refer themselves. Referrals are confidential and can be submitted anonymously; when a referral comes from someone other than the student, a member of the CARE Office reaches out to the student directly to offer services and support. On-campus support is free of charge; if an off-campus referral is recommended, that provider will bill your insurance, and the CARE Office can help if cost is a barrier.

Submit a MEST referral

In an emergency

A mental health emergency is a situation in which someone is in imminent danger of harming themselves or others, is severely disoriented or out of touch with reality, or is unable to function or stay safe. If you believe your student is in immediate danger:

Call 911, or
Call Campus Safety / the Campus Response Center at (845) 437-7333 (available 24/7).

After business hours and on weekends (when residence houses are open), a Counselor-on-Call is available for mental health crises. Call (845) 437-7333 and ask to speak with the Counselor-on-Call.

You, or your student, can also reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline anytime by calling or texting 988.

Key contacts at a glance

Need	Contact
Appointments & general questions	(845) 437-5700, counseling@vassar.edu Metcalf House, Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Urgent same-day support (ask for the Crisis Counselor)	(845) 437-5700
After-hours mental health support (Counselor-on-Call)	(845) 437-7333
Campus emergency (24/7)	(845) 437-7333 or 911
Health Services Nurse on Call	(845) 437-5800 weekdays / (845) 437-5807 weekends
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline	Call or text 988
Concerns about food, weight, or body image	Submit a MEST referral (about MEST)
Student Support Network (concern report)	SSN Reporting Form